1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates to buck poles and game carrying carts.
2. Background of the Invention
Buck poles and wheeled carts represent two common means of transporting large harvested game animals such as deer out of the wilderness. A buck pole assembled for use typically comprises, for example, a deer, a pair of thongs, and a wooden pole approximately ten feet long. The deer""s front and rear ankles are tied together with the thongs. The pole is then extended longitudinally between the deer""s legs. A pair of hunters then shoulder the ends of the pole, lifting the deer off of the ground, and suspending the deer beneath the pole. With the deer so suspended from the buck pole, the deer may be carried for long distances. The buck pole assembly desirably provides a low center of gravity for stability and high ground clearance for traversing obstacles such as brush. The buck pole assembly undesirably requires two hunters to operate.
A common game carrying cart typically comprises a load bearing bed, a pull handle extending forwardly from the load bearing bed, and a pair of wheels rotatably mounted upon and extending downwardly from the load bearing bed. Such game carrying carts desirably allow single hunter operation. Such game carrying carts undesirably sacrifice the stability of a low center of gravity in order to achieve acceptable ground clearance.
The instant invention eliminates the above noted undesirable traits of common buck poles and game carts, while achieving and preserving their above noted desirable traits, by combining in a single carriage apparatus structural features of both buck poles and common game carts.
A primary structural component of the present invention comprises an approximately six feet long jointed buck pole. Attaching means are provided for extending a pair of pole support legs downwardly and rearwardly from the buck pole, such legs being rigidly supported in such positions by a pair of triangulating braces extending from the buck pole to the lower ends of the pole support legs. While the upper ends of pole support legs may suitably be permanently attached to the buck pole by means such as welding, pivotal mounting means are preferably provided.
To facilitate pivotal mounting of the pole support legs, a space joint is preferably provided, the space joint facilitating alternate pivotal splaying and retracting motion of the pole support legs; the space joint further facilitating alternate downward and upper pivoting motion of the pole support legs in unison with respect to the buck pole. Upon operation of the space joint to downwardly extend and outwardly splay the pole support leg, such legs and buck pole are configured for suspended carriage of a large game animal in a manner common to conventional buck poles. Upon an alternate operation of said space joint to outwardly splay and upwardly retract the pole support legs, the buck pole and legs may be configured for service as a common game cart with an attached load bed. In order to facilitate such alternate game suspension and load bed support configurations, it is preferred that the upper ends of the triangulating braces be alternately forwardly and rearwardly positionable.
Left and right wheels, along with wheel attaching means respectively attaching the wheels to the lower ends of the left and right pole support legs are necessarily provided. Preferably, the left and right wheels are supported by left and right wheel receiving yokes or forks, and preferably the upper ends of said forks and the lower ends of the left and right pole support legs are configured to include closely fitted slip joint sleeves and slip joint necks. Suitably, other wheel attaching means may be utilized such as left and right axles fixedly attached to the lower ends of the left and right pole support legs, or left and right axle receiving channels incorporated as a part of the lower ends of the pole receiving legs. While it is preferred that the wheels be removably attachable for ease of disassembly and compactness in storage, the wheels may suitably be permanently attached to the lower ends of the pole support legs.
Necessarily, a pull harness or handle, along with harness attaching means are provided, allowing for convenient pulling of the carriage by a single hunter. Preferably, the pull harness or handle comprises a pair of shoulder engaging hooks. Suitably, the pull harness or handle may be configured as shoulder engaging straps, as an xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d handle, or as a xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d handle. Preferably, the harness attaching means comprises a shaft section which may alternately serve as a forward extension of the buck pole and as an upwardly angled extension of the buck pole; the forwardly extending orientation being utilized upon configuration of the carriage for game suspension, and the upwardly angled orientation of said section being utilized upon configuration of the carriage for support of a load bed. Preferably, upon operation of the space joint to upwardly pivot the pole support legs to their load bed supporting positions, the space joint exposes an upwardly opening shaft receiving aperture adapted for receiving and securely positioning said forward section of the buck pole in its upwardly angled position.
Preferably, forward and rearward removably attachable T-brackets are provided for respective installation upon the forward and rearward ends of the buck pole, such brackets facilitating suspended carriage of game animals such as deer. Suitably, though less desirably, a game animal may be tied to the buck pole by thongs or straps in the conventional fashion as described above. Also preferably, a removably attachable load bearing bed is provided, such bed being adapted for mounting upon upper surfaces of the buck pole and the pole support legs upon upward pivoting retraction of such legs to their load bed supporting configuration.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a carriage for transportation of harvested game animals, such carriage having a buck pole supported by a pair of legs, the legs having wheels rotatably mounted upon their lower ends.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a carriage which is reconfigurable for support of a removably attachable load bearing bed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carriage having inwardly retractable structural elements and having readily disassembleable elements for compact and convenient storage.
Other and further objects, benefits, and advantages of the present invention will become known to those skilled in the art upon review of the Detailed Description which follows and upon review of the appended drawings.